DHL breaks ground in Bochum, cuts ribbon in Dallas

Deutsche Post DHL Group is investing in local parcel centers to support its e-commerce and international shipping operations. As part of that strategy, DHL Parcel broke ground today on 40,000-square-meter “mega parcel” center in Bochum, Germany, just days after DHL Express opened a shipping facility near Dallas, Texas, on Aug. 15.

“Our network – with an average of 4.3 million parcels per day – leads the way in Germany when it comes to capacity and quality,” said Jürgen Gerdes, board member for the post, e-commerce and parcel division at Deutsche Post DHL Group. “The new parcel sorting center in the heart of the Ruhr region is a very important gateway to one of the largest metropolitan areas in Europe.”

The Bochum center will incorporate energy-efficient technology including LED bulbs and a heat-driven cogeneration (CHP) unit, along with a photovoltaic system to be installed on the roof. Operations at the building are scheduled to begin in 2019, when the facility will process up to 50,000 shipments per hour. Deutsche Post DHL Group expects to spend in the tens of millions of euros on the parcel center, the company said.

DHL Express’ new US$6.2 million facility in Carrollton near Dallas is also designed for energy efficiency and high-tech operations, including electric forklifts and a fully automated sorting system. The 4,600-square-meter facility is DHL’s second in the Dallas area and reflects “the growth in shipments from businesses in the vicinity that trade internationally as well as a steady growth in e-commerce among businesses of all sizes,” the company said. The Carrollton facility is certified by the Transported Asset Protection Association (TAPA).

To learn more about future innovations in freight forwarding, air freight and logistics, join us at Air Cargo World’s ELEVATE Conference in Miami, Oct. 2. Click here for registration information.